Arsenal vs Chelsea: Arsene Wenger has no regrets over failed Eden Hazard transfer

Arsene Wenger has revealed that he has no regrets over his failure to sign Eden Hazard from Lille in 2012 as the transfer was not financially viable for the club.

The Gunners have since signed Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez but were only able to do so after landing lucrative deals from the Emirates and Puma, which increased their commercial revenue by a tangible margin.

Hazard has grown from strength to strength in that period and is the top contender for the Player of the Year award this season after single-handedly leading Chelsea to what is looking likely to be their fifth league triumph in their history.

He has won the Capital One Cup and the Europa League during his time at Chelsea, and should the Player of the Year award come his way, it will be his first individual award since making the move to the Premier League.

The Frenchman will be hoping that his failure to land Hazard does not cost them against Chelsea, when the two London clubs clash heads at the Emirates on 26 April. Hazard has already scored once against the Gunners at Stamford Bridge from the spot, after a mazy run into the box was stopped by a foul from Laurent Koscielny.

"I have no big regrets because – at the time – there was so much money involved we could not afford it and not defend it, honestly. It was not feasible for us financially," Wenger said.

The Gunners are on a good run of form in the league, winning eight games on the bounce, one shy of their best ever run since the invincible season in 2003/04. This is Wenger's chance to get his record straight against Mourinho, who has an unbeaten record against the Frenchman, winning seven and drawing five of their last 12 encounters.

Arsenal will be without Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who is still out of action with a groin injury along with Mikel Arteta, who is back in full training but is not yet ready to make the starting line-up.